The effect of age and sex on clustering and switching during speeded verbal fluency tasks

2009 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 196-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
SHAWNDA LANTING ◽  
NICOLE HAUGRUD ◽  
MARGARET CROSSLEY
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Sex Differences ◽  
Verbal Fluency ◽  
Verbal Ability ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Strategy Use ◽  
Semantic Fluency ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Fluency Task ◽  
Age And Sex

AbstractPast research has been inconsistent with regard to the effects of normal aging and sex on strategy use during verbal fluency performance. In the present study, both Troyer et al.’s (1997) and Abwender et al.’s (2001) scoring methods were used to measure switching and clustering strategies in 60 young and 72 older adults, equated on verbal ability. Young adults produced more words overall and switched more often during both phonemic and semantic fluency tasks, but performed similarly to older adults on measures of clustering. Although there were no sex differences in total words produced on either fluency task, males produced larger clusters on both tasks, and females switched more frequently than males on the semantic but not on the phonemic fluency task. Although clustering strategies appear to be relatively age-insensitive, age-related changes in switching strategies resulted in fewer overall words produced by older adults. This study provides evidence of age and sex differences in strategy use during verbal fluency tests, and illustrates the utility of combining Troyer’s and Abwender’s scoring procedures with in-depth categorization of clustering to understand interactions between age and sex during semantic fluency tasks. (JINS, 2009, 15, 196–204.)

scholarly journals THE ROLE OF PRINT EXPOSURE IN SUPPORTING COGNITIVE ABILITY AMONG OLDER ADULTS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S651-S651
Author(s):  
Xiaomei Liu ◽  
Elizabeth A L Stine-Morrow ◽  
and Giavanna S McCall
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Episodic Memory ◽  
Cognitive Ability ◽  
Recognition Test ◽  
Verbal Fluency ◽  
Verbal Ability ◽  
Reading Engagement ◽  
Print Exposure ◽  
Age Related

Abstract Reading is an activity that has long been thought to have beneficial effects on cognitive ability, however, little is known about the effects of long-term reading engagement on cognition among older adults. Pre-test data are reported from an ongoing study of the effects of a literacy-based intervention on cognition among older adults. Participants (66.7% female) ranging from 60 to 79 years of age with education ranging from 11 to 19 years were administered a battery of measures, including print exposure checklists, which are objective indices for assessing long-term reading-related activities, as well as cognitive assessments. A composite measure of print exposure was based on the Author Recognition Test, Magazine Recognition Test, Non-fiction Author Recognition Test, and Fiction Recognition Test (alpha=.92). Cognition was assessed in a comprehensive battery, including measures of verbal ability, working memory, episodic memory, and verbal fluency (alpha=.83). Print exposure was marginally related to self-reported time spent reading (r=.27, p.4), suggesting criterion-related validity. Age-related declines were not evident for any of our cognitive measures in this sample, t(46)’s.8, and there was a modest increase in reading engagement with age (r=.36, p=.01). Controlling for verbal ability, print exposure had a significant positive influence on global cognition (standardized beta=0.38, p=.01); however, these effects were specific to episodic memory and verbal fluency, t(46)>2, p<.05. These preliminary findings are suggestive of selective cognitive benefits from continued literacy engagement in reading in later life.

scholarly journals Are age and sex effects on sleep slow waves only a matter of electroencephalogram amplitude?

SLEEP ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thaïna Rosinvil ◽  
Justin Bouvier ◽  
Jonathan Dubé ◽  
Alexandre Lafrenière ◽  
Maude Bouchard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Sex Differences ◽  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
Related Difference ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Data Driven Approach ◽  
Ratio Approach ◽  
Low Amplitude ◽  
Electroencephalogram Eeg ◽  
Age And Sex

Abstract Aging is associated with reduced slow wave (SW) density (number SW/min in nonrapid-eye movement sleep) and amplitude. It has been proposed that an age-related decrease in SW density may be due to a reduction in electroencephalogram (EEG) amplitude instead of a decline in the capacity to generate SW. Here, we propose a data-driven approach to adapt SW amplitude criteria to age and sex. We predicted that the adapted criteria would reduce age and sex differences in SW density and SW characteristics but would not abolish them. A total of 284 healthy younger and older adults participated in one night of sleep EEG recording. We defined age- and sex-adapted SW criteria in a first cohort of younger (n = 97) and older (n = 110) individuals using a signal-to-noise ratio approach. We then used these age- and sex-specific criteria in an independent second cohort (n = 77, 38 younger and 39 older adults) to evaluate age and sex differences on SW density and SW characteristics. After adapting SW amplitude criteria, we showed maintenance of an age-related difference for SW density whereas the sex-related difference vanished. Indeed, older adults produced less SW compared with younger adults. Specifically, the adapted SW amplitude criteria increased the probability of occurrence of low amplitude SW (<80 µV) for older men especially. Our results thereby confirm an age-related decline in SW generation rather than an artifact in the detection amplitude criteria. As for the SW characteristics, the age- and sex-adapted criteria display reproducible effects across the two independent cohorts suggesting a more reliable inventory of the SW.

scholarly journals EXPRESS: Attention in Post-Lexical Processes of Utterance Production: Dual-Task Cost in Younger and Older Adults

2021 ◽  
pp. 174702182110341
Author(s):  
Maryll Fournet ◽  
Michaela Pernon ◽  
Sabina Catalano Chiuvé ◽  
Ursula Lopez ◽  
Marina Laganaro
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Dual Task ◽  
Verbal Fluency ◽  
Verbal Task ◽  
Lexical Selection ◽  
Speech Task ◽  
Verbal Fluency Task ◽  
Dual Task Cost ◽  
Lexical Processes ◽  
Fluency Task

There is a general agreement that speaking requires attention at least for conceptual and lexical processes of utterance production. However, conflicting results have been obtained with dual-task paradigms using either repetition tasks or more generally tasks involving limited loading of lexical selection. This study aimed to investigate whether post-lexical processes recruit attentional resources. We used a new dual-task paradigm in a set of experiments where a continuous verbal production task involved either high or low demand on lexical selection processes. Experiment 1 evaluates lexical and post-lexical processes with a semantic verbal fluency task, whereas experiments 2 and 3 focus on post-lexical processes with a non-propositional speech task. In each experiment, two types of non-verbal secondary tasks were used: processing speed (simple manual reaction times) or inhibition (Go/No-go). In Experiment 1, a dual-task cost was observed on the semantic verbal fluency task and each non-verbal task. In Experiment 2, a dual-task cost appeared on the non-verbal tasks but not on the speech task. The same paradigm was used with older adults (Experiment 3), as increased effort in post-lexical processes has been associated with ageing. For older adults, a dual-task cost was also observed on the non-propositional verbal task when speech was produced with the inhibition non-verbal task. The results suggest an attentional cost on post-lexical processes and strategic effects in the resolution of the dual-task.

Spatial memory in Canadian and Indian young and older adults: the effects of age, culture and cultural orientation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khushi Patel
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Spatial Memory ◽  
Cultural Orientation ◽  
Strategy Use ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Cultural Research ◽  
Cross Cultural Research ◽  
Context Specific ◽  
Performance Gains ◽  
The Relationship

Cross-cultural research suggests that individualistic Americans have a tendency to process focal objects; in contrast, collectivist Asians have a tendency to bind objects and context (Park & Huang, 2010). However, little is known whether the reported cultural differences are moderated by cultural orientation. In light of these results and the well-reported age-related decline in binding abilities, the current study examined cultural and age differences in cultural orientation, spatial memory and strategy use with young and older Canadian and Indian adults. There was little difference between Canadian and Indian participants’ cultural orientation. While cultural orientation did not moderate the relationship between culture and spatial memory, spatial memory and strategy use differed as a function of age. The use of context-specific strategies resulted in performance gains in older adults, however overall older adults had poor spatial memory, with Indian older adults scoring significantly lower than Canadian older adults on the courtyard task.

scholarly journals Qualitative Assessment of Verbal Fluency Performance in Frontotemporal Dementia

2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 35-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esther van den Berg ◽  
Lize C. Jiskoot ◽  
Mariëlle J.H. Grosveld ◽  
John C. van Swieten ◽  
Janne M. Papma
Keyword(s):  
Executive Functioning ◽  
Frontotemporal Dementia ◽  
Verbal Fluency ◽  
Verbal Ability ◽  
Primary Progressive Aphasia ◽  
Longitudinal Change ◽  
Qualitative Assessment ◽  
Semantic Fluency ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
With Memory

Background/Aims: Verbal fluency is impaired in patients with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and primary progressive aphasia (PPA). This study explored qualitative differences in verbal fluency (clustering of words, switching between strategies) between FTD and PPA variants. Methods: Twenty-nine patients with behavioral variant FTD (bvFTD) and 50 with PPA (13 nonfluent/agrammatic, 14 semantic, and 23 logopenic) performed a semantic and letter fluency task. Clustering (number of multiword strings) and switching (number of transitions between clustered and nonclustered words) were recorded by two independent raters. Between-group differences, associations with memory, language, and executive functioning, and longitudinal change (subsample) in clustering and switching were examined. Results: Interrater reliability was high (median 0.98). PPA patients generated (a) smaller (number of) clusters on semantic and letter fluency than bvFTD patients (p < 0.05). Semantic variant patients used more switches than nonfluent/agrammatic or logopenic variant patients (p < 0.05). Clustering in semantic fluency was significantly associated with memory and language (range standardized regression coefficients 0.24-0.38). Switching in letter fluency was associated with executive functioning (0.32-0.35). Conclusion: Clustering and switching in verbal fluency differed between patients with subtypes of FTD and PPA. Qualitative aspects of verbal fluency provide additional information on verbal ability and executive control which can be used for clinically diagnostic purposes.

Emotional Control in Adulthood

1997 ◽  
Vol 80 (2) ◽  
pp. 499-507 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jasmin Tahmaseb McConatha ◽  
Frances Marshall Leone ◽  
Jill M. Armstrong
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Sex Differences ◽  
Emotional Control ◽  
Emotional Intensity ◽  
Socioemotional Selectivity Theory ◽  
Emotional Experiences ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Socioemotional Selectivity ◽  
Similarities And Differences ◽  
Age And Sex

Although it is widely believed that emotions vary with age, there is a dearth of information on emotional experiences in later adulthood. Several researchers think that older adults experience less emotional intensity than younger people while others have suggested that aging is accompanied by a decrease in positive affect and an increase in negative emotions. Sex similarities and differences in emotionality have also been documented. This study focuses on age and sex similarities and differences in emotional control. Three hundred and twenty seven men and women aged 19 to 92 years were administered two emotion measures. The results support previous research which suggests that the control of emotions increases with age. In evaluating sex differences in emotional control, women scored as more emotionally expressive than men, a finding which is consistent with previous research. Results are discussed in relation to socioemotional selectivity theory.

Prevalence of age-related hearing loss, including sex differences, in older adults in a large cohort study

2016 ◽  
Vol 127 (3) ◽  
pp. 725-730 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nienke C. Homans ◽  
R. Mick Metselaar ◽  
J. Gertjan Dingemanse ◽  
Marc P. van der Schroeff ◽  
Michael P. Brocaar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Sex Differences ◽  
Cohort Study ◽  
Large Cohort ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Large Cohort Study ◽  
Age Related Hearing Loss

scholarly journals ANGER, LOVE, SADNESS: DO EMOTION WORDS HAVE THE SAME SEMANTIC MEANING ACROSS AGE-GROUPS?

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S841-S842
Author(s):  
Madeline J Nichols ◽  
Jennifer A Bellingtier ◽  
Frances Buttelmann
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Semantic Meaning ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Emotion Words ◽  
Emotion Word ◽  
Age Related

Abstract Every day we use emotion words to describe our experiences, but past research finds that the meanings of these words can vary. Furthermore, historical shifts in language use and experiential knowledge of the emotions may contribute to age-differences in what these emotion words convey. We examined age-related differences in the valence, arousal, and expression connoted by the words anger, love, and sadness. We predicted age-related differences in the semantic meanings of the words would emerge such that older adults would more clearly differentiate the positivity/negativity of the words, whereas younger adults would report higher endorsement for the conveyed arousal and expression. Participants included American and German older adults (N=61; mean age=68.98) and younger adults (N=77; mean age=20.77). Using the GRID instrument (Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, 2013), they rated each emotion word for its valence, arousal, and expression when used by a speaker of the participant’s native language. Across emotions and dimensions, older adults were generally more moderate in their understanding of emotion words. For example, German older adults rated anger and sadness as suggesting the speaker felt less bad and more good than the younger adults. American older adults rated love as connoting the speaker felt more bad and less good than younger adults. Arousal ratings were higher for German younger, as opposed to older, adults. Cultural differences were most pronounced for sadness such that German participants gave more moderate answers than American participants. Overall, our research suggests that there are age-related differences in the understanding of emotion words.

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